Riley gambles on youth with six long shots

So while much of South Florida has focused on Brett Favre's comments this season that pertain to breaking Dan Marino's career touchdown record, what caught Riley's eye recently were comments from the Green Bay quarterback about the Packers' infusion of youth.

"His team's coming off two down seasons," Riley said, "and they had a bunch of veteran guys that simply didn't produce, weren't motivated or whatever. He says, 'Now I've got all these good, young, hungry, energetic, I-want-it-now players. They're not cynical. They're not jaded. They do what they want to do. And they're helping me revitalize my career.' "

Seeking similar revitalization for his aging roster, Riley went shopping this offseason, digging into his secret stash in a bid to unearth what he hopes will emerge as his "I-want-it-now" players.

While much has been made about the Heat's lack of spending on the free-agent market this offseason, few teams in the NBA spend petty cash like the Heat.

Yes, Joel Anthony, Brian Chase, Devin Green, Alexander Johnson, Jeremy Richardson and Marcus Slaughter all are fighting for their NBA lives in Heat camp this month. But they're all doing it with tangible proof of Riley's sincerity when he says the opportunity is there.

Combined, the six roster long shots have been guaranteed $850,000 - from the $350,000 Johnson has been assured to the $30,000 Chase will walk away with even if he's not on the opening-night roster.

On one hand, it seems like a bit of an extravagance for a team that, due to concerns about the dollar-for-dollar luxury tax on excessive payrolls, has spent less than half its $5.4 million mid-level salary-cap exception and none of its $1.8 million lower-level exception.

But to Riley, there is a method to the madness, and always has been during his tenure as team president and coach.

"We have that in our budget, regardless if we're in the tax or not," he said. "You have to invest. I'm looking for the Bruce Bowens. I'm looking for the Ike Austins. I'm looking for the Udonis Haslems."

Sometimes, the seed money harvests a rotation player. Sometimes, it doesn't, like when guards Daniel Horton and Vincent Grier walked away with $70,000 apiece last fall, but without a spot on the 2006-07 Heat roster.

Haslem's career, by contrast, began with a $150,000 inducement to spend the 2003 offseason with the team.

"I'll never forget watching him - who's that?" Riley said. "I think you take a half-million dollars a year, you put that in a development fund, budget, and you go out there."

Agent Jason Levien, who represented Haslem then and represents Johnson now, said the Heat's reputation for offering partial guarantees often has agents calling the Heat first when it comes to otherwise sending their borderline clients overseas or to other camps on make-good deals.

"There's only three or four teams that do what they do," he said. "I don't think anyone does it to the extent the Heat does it. They're a team that really gives those guys an opportunity."

Johnson was on the way to Europe when his partial guarantee was extended by the Heat. Slaughter, by contrast, was on the way back from Turkey when the Heat arrived with an offer too tempting to bypass - a pair of $70,000 offseason guarantee dates.

"We were the first team out of the box this year to have a free-agent camp and we kept four of those guys, and we've had 'em since last May," Riley said.

Along with the guarantees, there is a sincere opportunity. In addition to Haslem, it is a path that also opened the NBA door to former Heat rookies Mike James, Malik Allen, heck even Tang Hamilton.

"I think the Heat sees the investment they can make in finding a handful of guys that have a lot of talent, and they make that investment very wisely," Levien said. "They're unique in that."

In fact, each of the 20 players on the camp roster essentially was taken care of. Thirteen arrived with their contracts guaranteed for the season. Penny Hardaway bypassed a guarantee, with plenty of NBA money already earned and a roster spot the ultimate goal of his comeback.

Then there were the cash inducements offered Anthony, Chase, Green, Johnson, Richardson and Slaughter

While Riley can't guarantee a roster spot, he can guarantee his roster long shots won't go away hungry. It is why, for years, such prospects have lined up at his table.

"I love the challenge," he said, "of trying to find one or two of them that can help."

About the Heat: Dwyane Wade (knee, shoulder), Shaquille O'Neal (knee), Alonzo Mourning (quadriceps) and Penny Hardaway (quadriceps) did not travel. Expect Pat Riley to try to get a better read on the likes of Dorell Wright, Smush Parker and the young free agents in camp. Although 20 remain on the roster, don't expect more than 12 to play.